Autonoe -named for the strong‑minded Nereid and one of the fifty sea‑nymph daughters of Nereus - appears here as part of Emma De Polnay’s Nereids series, inspired by the plucky Brighton women she watches on daily dog walks as they waddle to the shoreline, shed their layers through gritted teeth, and emerge from the cold water pink‑faced and serene; this ritual of feminine courage and elemental surrender informs the piece, painted in a palette drawn directly from the shifting sea and sky, the deep peaty tones of the local coastline woven into Autonoe’s wet dark locks, and the heritage pale‑aqua green of Brighton’s seaside structures, creating an original artwork that blends mythic presence with the grounded, modern sisterhood of women who gather at the water’s edge.
Autonoe by Emma de Polnay
Signed: Yes
Hand Finished: Yes
Medium: Mixed Media on Hot Pressed 300gsm Watercolour paper
Original
Size (cm): 76 x 56